Love is the answer -A Small Tale of Love-

“Sayaka! Hurry up or you’ll be late for school!” my mother called me from the first floor of my house.

“I’m coming!” I replied from the second floor.

My name is Sayaka Yamakawa, and I’m in my second year of middle school. I lived in a small island called Iwai Island and went to a private school called Shiraishi Middle School.

When I arrived at school, I greeted my best friend, Kei Omura.

“Good morning, Kei!”

“Good morning! Did you hear? Ms. Morita and Mr. Imamura got married!”

Since it was a small island, rumors spread very quickly.

I was happy with my school life with Kei, so I didn’t have much interest in romance.

Kei and I were in the volleyball team.

That day, in the gymnasium, the boys' volleyball team was practicing next to the girls' team.

Our ball went flying to the boys' side, so I scurried after it.

Then a boy named Shuichi Murakami, the star player of the team, took the ball and passed it to me, saying, “Here you go!”

“Thanks!” I replied with a smile.

During the game, I couldn’t help glancing at the boys' playing. Just at that moment, Shuichi made a point with an attack play.

'What a cool boy,' I thought. Then a ball bounced on my head.

“Concentrate!” the coach shouted at me.

“I’m sorry!”

Since then, I was conscious of Shuichi’s every move.

On the Sports Festival, Shuichi was the relay runner and he ran past the other runners and won. During the School Festival, he was the one to lead the others and at the Singing Concert, he did the conductor. He was always active and popular.

On the other hand, I was rather quiet and shy, and I didn’t feel confident in anything. I couldn’t even tell Kei about my feelings of love.

However, Kei found out one day.

“Do you perhaps like Shuichi?”

“What!”

“I knew it.”

“How did you know?”

“I could tell from your actions.”

We laughed.

“So, is there anyone you like, Kei?”

“Not yet. But I wish you good luck!”

“Thanks.”

However, Shuichi made a girlfriend.

I lost my love before I could tell him about my feelings.

I went to a movie theater with Kei and saw a movie called Love is the answer. In that movie, a girl falls in love with her teacher and starts going out with him. In spite of strong oppositions from others, she graduates high school and gets married with her teacher. The story was kind of grownup.

“Oh, I’m so sad about Shuichi. ”

“Don’t worry, you’ll find someone better.”

“Thanks, Kei.”

One day, I heard that Shuichi broke up with his girlfriend.

'This is my chance!' I thought. I was finally able to ask him out.

“Sorry, I’m not so interested.”

I was dumped very easily. I guess romance is not so easy.

Still, I was glad I was able to tell him my feelings.

When I told Kei about this, she laughed and said, “Wow, you became very grownup.”

After that, I was able to stop being so conscious about Shuichi. Because I had a wonderful friend like Kei, I was able to overcome losing love two times. Until my next romance, I’d like to keep on with this way of life.